The Gigabyte Aorus 17H is typically more costly, but it offers a more powerful GPU, more storage, and a larger battery compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which could translate into better performance for 3D, machine learning, and gaming. However, with its larger screen, the Aorus is heavier and less portable. On the other hand, the GP66 Leopard is generally lighter, making it more portable but comes with a smaller battery and less powerful GPU, potentially impacting its ability to handle intensive tasks. Your choice depends on whether you prioritize performance and display size over portability and price. Both have similar RAM and core processor capabilities suitable for engineering and general use, but the Aorus has a slightly higher performance in processing power. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 17H
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
7.8/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H stands out for gaming and 3D tasks due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 360 Hz, which can offer smoother visuals and better performance in fast-paced gaming scenarios compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which has a still capable Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and a refresh rate of 144 Hz. While both laptops have quality IPS displays, the higher refresh rate and more powerful GPU in the Aorus 17H make it particularly well-suited for demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.9/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H boasts a more powerful CPU and GPU combination with a larger, higher refresh rate screen, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design tasks. On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard offers solid performance with a slightly lesser powerful CPU and GPU but ranks lower in portability and has a smaller screen, which may affect multitasking and detailed work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good for content creation, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
7.5/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the high resolution and brightness of the Gigabyte Aorus 17H make it appealing, offering clear and vibrant visuals, while the MSI GP66 Leopard provides a similarly good experience with its display quality. When it comes to engineering and design, both laptops offer good screen quality as they cover a wide range of color gamuts, ensuring accurate color reproduction which is crucial for these tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both models fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can make fast-paced visuals less smooth and less responsive compared to displays with higher refresh rates.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has a price of $2,000 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H excels in general use with a larger screen, more storage, and a newer, higher-performing CPU and GPU, suitable for both demanding applications and entertainment, however, its larger size and weight detract from portability and it has shorter battery life. Conversely, the MSI GP66 Leopard, while it has an older CPU and less powerful GPU, offers better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, and also boasts excellent heat management, making it a convenient choice for on-the-go users who still require respectable performance.
Software Development
7.5/10
7.2/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Battery
6.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Give feedback
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How the Gigabyte Aorus 17H and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
"Overall though, it’s *lots of swearing* fast, seriously. For work, rendering, gaming, it doesn’t matter, this is a true weapon of performance that’s going to run rings around most high-end desktop systems. If you absolutely have to game at ultra-high refresh rates on the go (but within thinking distance of a plug socket), this is the ticket. I can’t see such an extreme being that appealing to everyone, but if you take your gaming seriously, or even professionally, there’s nothing else out there that comes close that you can still fit in your backpack and travel with."
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aorus 17H or the MSI GP66 Leopard
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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